I found Makaku Oyami’s three-part essay on “Gorean Keigo” to be very interesting and thought provoking. I do commend him for taking the time and effort to explore and analyze this topic. I even agree with him that there is some evidence of a very simple Keigo within the Gorean series, though I do disagree on many of Makaku’s particulars. Gorean society, as is nature, is hierarchical. The Caste system sets up a clearly stratified system with its High and Low Castes. Each Caste is also ranked within this system, with the Initiate Caste being the highest and the Peasant Caste being the lowest. Thus, it is logical to assume that in such a hierarchical society, certain Gorean words and actions may reflect differences in status, position and ranking.

But, I do not find Makaku’s arguments concerning the alleged differences between Tal and “Greetings” to be very persuasive. First, I disagree with two of Makaku’s primary premises and the nature of that disagreement will both counter and support the idea of a Gorean Keigo. If those two premises are faulty, then it is natural to assume that any conclusion based on those premises will be faulty as well. Second, I disagree with a number of the specific arguments and interpretations or book passages that Makaku uses to attempt to support his conclusions. Thirdly, I disagree that the novels provide support for the eleven Gorean Keigo rules that Makaku has devised. Though I may accept that a simple Gorean Keigo exists, I do not find it to be as complicated as Makaku presents with all of his various rules.

Probably one of the primary reasons that I found Makaku’s arguments less than persuasive is that I believe he failed to address two significant elements of Gorean greetings. The absence of these two elements strikes at the heart of his arguments. These omitted elements could have better resolved some of his speculations concerning certain book passages as well as clarify what are seemingly exceptions to his rules. I do not know why these two elements were omitted from his speculations but I shall endeavor to touch upon them in some detail to indicate their importance and relevance to these issues.

I shall also make a caveat that in addressing these two missing elements I do not claim that I will touch upon every single book reference concerning these elements. Though I will touch on numerous examples, there may be some that I do not mention. As I do not possess txt copies of the books, it is not that simple to search for the myriad references of a single word in all twenty-six novels. But, based on my readings, I do not believe that any passage I have missed will make any significant difference to my conclusions.

I. The Use of “Hail”

In PART ONE, I. INTRODUCTION, of his article, Makaku stated: “A study of the 26 books of the Gor series reveals that characters in John Norman’s stories regularly use two different words when they say hello, namely: Tal and ‘Greetings’.”

This initial premise begins Makaku’s discussion of Gorean Keigo. But, I do not feel this premise is completely accurate as Tal and “Greetings” are not the only two terms used for greeting in the books. Makaku omitted an important term for greeting, that being “Hail.” This is a significant omission that will adversely affect some of Makaku’s conclusions and speculations. It is also the single word of greeting in the books that most clearly evidences an indication of Gorean Keigo.

“Hail” is used to greet people in power as well as individuals of great skill, talent and/or prowess. Thus, it is generally not a greeting of equals. It is basically a greeting from an inferior toward a superior, what Makaku would refer to as a Sonkeigo expression. The following quote most fully describes the nature of this greeting.

“‘Greetings, Teibar!’ called a fellow.
‘Hail, Teibar!’ called another.
From the latter manner of greeting, I gathered this Teibar might be excellent with the staff, or sword. Such greetings are usually reserved for recognized experts, or champions, at one thing or another. For example, a skilled Kaissa player is sometimes greeted in such a manner. I studied Teibar. I would have suspected his expertise to be with the sword.”
-- Magicians of Gor, p.52 (“Hail” is also used in greeting Teibar on p.56.)

We can also note that Teibar was greeted with both “Hail” and “Greetings.” There is no mention that the use of “Greetings” was improper. That person obviously knew Teibar’s name so knew something of him. This could indicate that though “Hail” was proper for Teibar, it is not a necessity to use such. So, though “Hail” indicates a basic Keigo, it does not seem to make it an inviolate rule.

Besides this use of “Hail,” for experts and champions, the term is also used to greet people of great political power, such as a Ubar or Tatrix. Multiple quotes support this use.

“‘Though we are abject beasts
Fit only to live for your comfort
Fit only to die for your pleasure
Yet we glorify the Masks of Tharna
Hail to the Masks of Tharna
Hail to the Tatrix of our City.’ ”
-- Outlaw of Gor, p.111.

“‘Hail Cernus, Ubar of Ar!
We who are about to die salute you!’ ”
-- Assassin of Gor, p.340.

“‘Hail Sheila, Tatrix of Corcyrus!’ I heard.”
-- Kajira of Gor, p.72 (also used on p.74 & 75.)

“‘Hail Lurius of Jad!’ cried men. ‘Hail Seremides!’ Cried others. ‘Hail Talena!’ cried others. ‘Hail Talena!’ ”
-- Magicians of Gor, p.96.

We even see from a couple of the quotes that “Hail” is used by slaves and prisoners toward the free. The quotes from Outlaw of Gor, p.111, and Assassin of Gor, p.340, are from men in the gladiatorial arena, commonly slaves and criminals, greeting the Tatrix or Ubar. These examples will also be important later when we discuss Tal, for if slaves can use the term “Hail” then that would support their use of Tal as well.

By adding “Hail,” this third word of greeting, Makaku’s Gorean Keigo rules require alteration to account for its existence and usage. It would also require a reexamination of some of Makaku’s interpretations of certain passages that he used to justify his eleven rules. As an example, let us revisit the passage concerning Cernus, Ubar of Ar, and Scormus, Master Player. Makaku did examine and speculate at length on this passage. When we consider the term “Hail,” I do believe we will now view this passage in a different light.

“He stood before the table of Cernus and though Cernus was Ubar of his city he merely lifted his hand in common Gorean greeting, palm inward.
‘Tal,’ said he.
‘Tal,’ responded Cernus, seeming somehow in awe before this mere boy.”
-- Assassin of Gor, p.322.

Makaku correctly stated in his article that this quote implies Scormus should have used a different expression in greeting Cernus, though I do disagree with Makaku that this quote also implies Cernus used the wrong term of greeting. Makaku speculated that maybe Scormus and Cernus should have used “Greetings” toward each other instead of Tal. But is it not more logical that Scormus should have greeted Cernus, who is Ubar of Ar, with “Hail,” especially as Scormus is an Arian citizen. It certainly seems a more fitting solution to which term Scormus should have used. There would also be some support for Cernus to use “Hail” toward Scormus, who is a Master Kaissa Player.

With the addition of this term of greeting, some of Makaku’s Rules would need revision. His Rule 2 would need modification as “Hail” instead of “Greetings” might be more appropriate for a Warrior toward a Ubar. His Rule 4 would need modification as “Hail” instead of “Greetings” might be more appropriate depending upon the circumstances. Rules 6 and 9 would also need modification to account for when “Hail” was more appropriate.

In PART ONE, I. INTRODUCTION, of his article, Makaku stated: “It appears that Tal and “Greetings” cannot be the same word, because we are explicitly told by Norman, in the Gor stories, that the greeting Tal is a Gorean word for use only when addressing a free person (as opposed to a slave) (See Book 7: Captive of Gor, Chapter 13, p.237). This must mean, logically, that slaves are to be addressed differently. Since slaves are almost always greeted with the word “Greetings,” and not Tal, the presumption arises that Tal and “Greetings” are two different greeting words used by two different classes of person on Gor, one term to be used when addressing free persons (Tal) and one term to be used when addressing slaves (“Greetings”).”

This is the second premise that I believe is incorrect. And if it is incorrect, then much of the basis for Makaku’s conclusions and Rules will fall apart. For if Tal and “Greetings” are essentially the same word, then the rules Makaku has devised are inapplicable. Though Makaku states that Tal is a free person’s greeting, that slaves are not supposed to use that term, he later presents a number of exceptions to that rule. Is Makaku correct in this regard? Why do these exceptions exist? Is there a way to resolve the issue without having any exceptions? To answer these questions, let us first look more closely at Makaku’s evidence that he presents to support his rules on the use of Tal.

In Part 1 of Makaku’s essay, he states that Rule 1 of Gorean Keigo is: TAL IS A FORMAL GREETING USED BY FREE PERSONS OF EITHER GENDER TO GREET OTHER FREE PERSONS OF EQUAL STATUS.

In Part 3 of Makaku’s essay, there is a slight revision to Rule 1: TAL IS A FORMAL GREETING USED BY FREE PERSONS OF EITHER GENDER TO GREET OTHER FREE PERSONS OF EQUAL RANK OR STATUS. The difference is the addition of the words “rank or.”

Reading this rule, one may question what Makaku means by “equal rank or status.” He does not specifically define these terms when this Rule is originally discussed. Makaku does state later in his essay that “it is important to draw a distinction between differences in rank/status (the hierarchy within a class) and differences between a superior class and an inferior class (free persons and slaves).” This would seem to indicate that “rank or status” should refer to one’s place within the Caste hierarchy. Thus, a person of High Caste would be of higher status than one of Low Caste.

But, though that definition of “rank or status” appears proper, many of the book references that Makaku quotes to support Rule 1 do not warrant such an interpretation. Makaku clearly cannot be referring to their Caste status because the passages he quotes show a number of instances where people of different Castes use Tal with each other. They are clearly not of “equal rank or status” but they are still using Tal. Based on the passages Makaku references, it appears that the only commonality between these individuals using Tal is that they are free. This makes the phrase “of equal rank or status” unnecessary.

The confusion extends to Makaku’s discussion on “Greetings.” Makaku mentions a passage from Assassin of Gor, p.125, where a Slaver exchanges “Greetings” with a Physician. He also mentions a passage in Assassin of Gor, p.222, where a Tarn Keeper exchanges “Greetings” with a Warrior/Assassin. Makaku claims that in each pair, they are both free and of “roughly equal status.” But how is that true concerning their status? It does not reflect his earlier comment on the differences of status being Caste related. A Physician is High Caste and a Slaver is Low Caste. They are certainly not of “roughly equal status.” And Mip and Tarl are of different Castes so they too are not equal in the Caste system. Each Caste values its ranking in the Caste hierarchy, certainly seeing itself as superior to all Castes below.

Now, let us examine in more detail some of the passages Makaku used in Part 1 of his essay to attempt to support Rule 1. We will find that numerous of these passages do not involve individuals of “equal rank or status.”

In Outlaw of Gor, p.28, Tarl Cabot, a Warrior, says Tal to a Woodsman. This is a member of a High Caste greeting a member of the Low Caste. They clearly are not equals within the Caste hierarchy. So, when Makaku states this passage supports Rule 1 then he cannot be referring to an equality of Caste status. The only equality these two men possess is their freedom.

In Outlaw of Gor p.55 and p.70, Tarl uses Tal but he does not know the Caste of the person he is greeting. So it cannot be a greeting of equals since he does not know the other person at all. It is basically a greeting to a stranger.

In Outlaw of Gor, p.172, a Warrior, Tarl, and a Poet, Andreas, use Tal toward each other, another example of men of unequal Caste status, a High and Low Caste, greeting each other as such.

In Outlaw of Gor, p.245, Tarl uses Tal to the “men of Earth.” The only similarity here is that Tarl, too, had an Earth origin. I do not see this as greeting equals, especially when we consider Tarl’s later comments comparing Gor and Earth, seeing the general superiority of Goreans.

In Nomads of Gor, p.8 and 15, the use of Tal is between Tarl, a man of the cities of Gor, and the Wagon Peoples, barbarians. We know that Goreans generally view barbarians with disdain, as being inferior to the civilized Goreans. So again, this is not a greeting between equals unless one solely refers to the fact they are both free.

In Assassin of Gor, p.4, no one actually says Tal. The passage specifically states neither man greeted the other as such. Thus, this passage is not relevant to supporting Rule 1.

In Assassin of Gor, p.392, we do not know the Caste of the many people Tarl passes and greets with Tal, though there is mention on p.393 that most of the men present were of Low Caste. Thus, most of those men were not of equal status to Tarl.

In Tribesmen of Gor, p.58, Tarl exchanges Tal with a water carrier. A water-carrier is certainly not of the same rank or status as Tarl.

In Tribesmen of Gor, p.119, Tarl exchanges Tal with Ibn Saran. But, Tarl is his prisoner at that moment so they are definitely not equals. This is also a violation of Makaku’s Rules 8 and 9, that require captors and prisoners to use “Greetings” and not Tal.

In Explorers of Gor, p.47, Tarl exchanges Tal with a she-urt. A she-urt is certainly not of the same rank or status as Tarl.

In Explorers of Gor, p.70, Tarl exchanges Tal with a Metal Worker, and again we have two people who are of different and unequal Castes.

In Explorers of Gor, p.390 and 391, Tarl exchanges Tal with some pygmies in the jungle. Such pygmies are certainly not of the same rank or status as Tarl. First, they would be considered barbarians, just like the Wagon Peoples. Second, and more importantly, the pygmies at this point are actually slaves of the talunas. Thus, this passage is showing slaves using Tal toward a free, and a free using Tal in response to them.

In Savages of Gor, p.88, Tarl exchanges Tal with Lady Mira, a Merchant. This is a member of a High Caste greeting a member of a Low Caste. They clearly are not equals within the Caste hierarchy.

In Kajira of Gor, p.134, Drusus uses Tal but he does not know the Caste of the person he is greeting. So it cannot be a greeting of equals since he does not know the other person at all.

In Kajira of Gor, p.165, Drusus, a Warrior, exchanges Tal with men he believes to be Slavers. This is a member of a High Caste greeting members of a Low Caste. They clearly are not equals within the Caste hierarchy.

In Mercenaries of Gor, p.28, Tarl exchanges Tal with a wagoner, and again we have two people who are of different and unequal Castes.

In Renegades of Gor, p.53, Tarl exchanges Tal with an inn keeper, and again we have two people who are of different and unequal Castes.

In Vagabonds of Gor, p.73, Tarl says Tal to a group of men of unknown Caste while Tarl is claiming to be a Merchant. If Tarl does not know their Caste, then he cannot judge if they are equals or not.

In Magicians of Gor, p.272, Tarl exchanges Tal with the manager of an insula, and again we have two people who are of different and unequal Castes.

In Magicians of Gor, p.404, Boots Tarsk-Bit, a magician and entertainer, says Tal to Tarl and Marcus, both Warriors. Again, Tal is used between people who are of different Castes.

In Witness of Gor, p.650, Terrence, an officer of Treve, exchanges Tal with the pit master of Treve. They are clearly not of the same rank or status. Terrence even states to the pit master, on p.652, “And my rank, I remind you, considerably exceeds yours.”

Makaku also states that in Savages of Gor, Tal is used on several occasions that demonstrate Rule 1 of Gorean Keigo. He alleges these occasions involve Goreans addressing the Kurii with the polite and formal greeting of equals. I would disagree, in that I view these passages as involving greetings from an inferior, Samos, to a superior, the Kurii. That would certainly be the viewpoint of the Kurii.

Tarl and Samos have met two Kurii outside of Port Kar. Tarl indicates the likely view of the Kurii.

“‘Put yourself in their place,’ I said. ‘They are larger and stronger than we, and quite possibly more ferocious and vicious. Too, they regard themselves as more intelligent than ourselves, and as being a dominant species.’
‘So?’ asked Samos.
‘So,’ said I, ‘naturally they expect not to address us first, but to be first addressed.’ ”
-- Savages of Gor, p.20.

The Kurii expect to be treated as superiors and Samos does give into them. Samos greets them first, using Tal, and repeats the word six times as it seems this is necessary for a proper greeting. Samos allows them to feel superior, and the Kurii seem content that the proper protocol was followed. This was not an example of equals greeting each other.

All of these passages I have referenced clearly indicate that Tal is used by people of different Castes, and thus of unequal status. At best, Makaku’s rule would have to be changed then to: TAL IS A GREETING USED BY FREE PERSONS OF EITHER GENDER TO GREET OTHER FREE PERSONS. He would have to eliminate the phrase “of equal rank or status.” Based on Caste rank and status, Tal is obviously used in the books by superiors to inferiors and inferiors to superiors. The only commonality between these individuals is their freedom. Thus, the passages I cited will also show Rules 3 and 4 to be incorrect as well, as Tal is clearly used in situations where Rules 3 and 4 dictate “Greetings” is supposed to be used.

In his essay, Makaku stated that Tal is a greeting that can only be used by free people and only toward free people. This is a very important premise to his essay. But, Makaku relies primarily upon a single quote, from Captive of Gor, to support his contention that Tal is a greeting for the free. Though he also claims that “Greetings” is used most often by and toward slaves, Makaku also presents a significant number of exceptions to this rule.

Makaku mentions in Part 3 of his essay that there are only six occasions where Tal is allegedly “misused” in regards to slaves. This number is incorrect though, as Makaku omits one other occasion when Tal is used by slaves toward a free as well as by a free man toward slaves. As I stated earlier, in Explorers of Gor, p.390 and 391, Tarl exchanges Tal with some pygmies, the pygmies being slaves of the talunas. Tarl even suspected as much before the pygmies told him that they were slaves. So, the occasions where Tal is allegedly “misused” in regards to slaves actually occur in four of the Gorean novels and on seven different occasions.

Makaku tries to dismiss the number of exceptions as an unimportant amount, yet, by his own figures, Tal is used on only 58 occasions in the books. Thus, the seven occasions of “misuse” constitute over 12% of the total, which I certainly feel is a significant amount. It is more than just a “few” exceptions. They constitute a significant portion of the occasions.

Let us also compare the number of exceptions to the number of examples Makaku used to justify some of his Keigo rules. For Rule 8, Makaku relies on 4 examples. For Rule 9, Makaku relies on only 1 example. For Rule 10, Makaku relies on 6 examples. For Rule 11, Makaku relies on only 1 example. Each of these rules is supported by fewer examples than the number of exceptions that exist. So, if Makaku contends that the number of exceptions is too few to be considered, then he would also have to accept that these 4 rules lack sufficient support, for those “few” examples would be insufficient support for those rules.

Makaku speculates on the possible reasons for the existence of all of these exceptions yet provides only theories with little, if any, evidence of which theory might be correct. Is there a better way to explain these exceptions? Is there an explanation by which some or none of these would actually be exceptions? Are any of them truly exceptions?

To answer these questions, let us first examine the quote from Captive of Gor a bit more closely, providing more of the passage than Makaku originally presented.

“‘Tal,’ cried Ute, greeting me as a free person.
‘Tal!’ I cried, pleased, waving to her. I was very relieved that she had returned.”
-- Captive of Gor, p.237.

Makaku assumes that the “greeting me as a free person” refers to the word that Ute uses. Thus, he concludes that the term Tal is restricted to free people. If his assumption were correct, then his conclusion probably would be correct as well. But is that assumption actually correct? Could there possibly be something more involved than merely the use of the word Tal? Could “greeting me as a free person” refer to an action rather than a word?

In Japan, the act of bowing may accompany a verbal greeting. The degree of the bow is indicative of social status. Now, someone could use the proper words, in accordance with Keigo, but also perform an improper bow, not in accordance with the proper social status. And that would definitely alter the effect of the greeting. In other countries, different actions may accompany verbal greetings, such as hand-shaking, waving or saluting. Thus, a greeting does not have to be solely verbal. An action can accompany or even substitute for a verbal greeting.

So, does the passage from Captive of Gor support an alternative explanation? The second line of that passage may provide a clue when it indicates the girl waves in response to the greeting by Ute. So, what, if anything, is the significance of this wave?

The books state that sometimes when Goreans greet with the term Tal they accompany it with a specific wave/salute. This is done by raising the right arm to about shoulder level, holding one’s palm inward, facing your body. Makaku never mentioned this aspect of greeting within his essay. He restricted his discussion to the verbal only. I believe that some of his conclusions were thus faulty due to this omission.

Here are some quotes describing the wave/salute.

“‘Tal,’ I said, lifting my right arm, palm inward, in a common Gorean greeting.”
-- Outlaw of Gor, p.28.

“‘Tal,’ I said, quietly, that I might not startle her too much, lifting my arm in gentle salute.”
-- Outlaw of Gor, p.55.

“Andreas lifted his arm. ‘Tal,’ he said, sadly. I wondered why he had said this, for it is a word of greeting.
‘Tal,’ I said, returning the salute.”
-- Outlaw of Gor, p.172.

“‘Tal Warriors!’ I responded, raising my arm, addressing them all by the title of my caste, for I knew that in their common cause each was a warrior.”
-- Outlaw of Gor, p.224.

“He stood before the table of Cernus and though Cernus was Ubar of his city he merely lifted his hand in common Gorean greeting, palm inward. ‘Tal,’ said he.”
-- Assassin of Gor, p.322.

“In the halls we passed many individuals, who would normally, in Gorean fashion, lift the right hand, palm inward, saying ‘Tal,’ which greeting, in turn, we returned.”
-- Assassin of Gor, p.392.

But what does this wave/salute signify? For most Goreans, the right arm is the weapon arm. To greet in this manner would appear to indicate one is not holding a weapon, that you have peaceful intentions. Essentially, you would be greeting someone as a potential friend, that you felt no need to wield a weapon in your hand against them. The meaning of such a wave/salute, or similar ones, is very common throughout history, a means to show one lacks hostile intentions. This is also supported by the implications of some other passages.

“‘Yes,’ I said. ‘Now, if one of these beasts were to touch the hand, or paw, of another, the hand, or paw, of each being open, indicating that weapons were not held, that the touch was in peace, at how many points would contact be made?’ ”
-- Savages of Gor, p.23.

This passage, though not dealing specifically with the wave/salute, does indicate how the open hand in greeting indicates that weapons are not held, an obvious correlation to the open hand in the wave/salute that accompanies Tal.

“The approaching man stopped singing about twenty yards from us, and stood grinning in the grass. He held the spear, with its dependent articles, in his left hand now, and raised his right in a cheerful fashion, palm inward, facing the body. ‘Tal, Rarii!’ Said he, calling out, grinning.
‘Tal Rarius,’ said the bearded man.”
-- Slave Girl of Gor, p.18.

This passage shows a man approaching a couple of unknown men, warriors, but he is trying to be nonthreatening, his weapons not in his weapon hand. Though the men will later fight, the man did make the initial attempt to be friendly.

“‘Tal,’ I said to the man, lifting my arm in the common Gorean greeting.
‘Tal,’ he responded, not taking his arm from the rail. He approached me, more closely than I liked.”
-- Outlaw of Gor, p.70.

In this passage, Tarl makes the friendly gesture but the other man is specifically noted not to return the wave, to keep his hand on the rail. He is not returning Tarl’s friendly gesture. This man then approaches Tarl, getting too close, becoming a potential threat.

“‘Tal,’ I called, lifting my hand, palm inward, in Gorean greeting.
As one man the four riders unstrapped their lances.
‘I am Tarl Cabot,’ I called. ‘I come in peace.’ ”
-- Nomads of Gor, p.15.

Once again Tarl is attempting to be friendly, to show he comes in peace, his hand open, without weapon. He desires to speak to the Wagon Peoples, to show his peaceful intentions to them.

“‘Tal,’ said I, lifting my right hand to them, palm facing the left.
They did not respond.
The captain stepped forth. They did not seem then to me to be pleasant fellows.
‘Who are you?’ asked the captain.
‘One who has greeted you,’ I said.
‘Tal,’ said he, lifting his hand.
‘Tal,’ I rejoined.
‘We have seen nothing of the sport slave,’ he said.
‘I do not hunt him.’ I said.
‘Where is your tharlarion?’ asked one of the men.
‘I have none,’ I said.
‘Do not block our way,’ said the captain.
‘I mean you no harm,’ I said. ‘I greet you in peace and friendship.’ ”
-- Beasts of Gor, p.112-113.

This passage is a bit odd as Tarl’s palm is facing the left when normally the palm should be facing his body. There does not appear to be any specific reason for the change and may be a simple error on Norman’s part. But, the meaning is essentially the same, Tarl trying to be friendly, to show he is not a threat with an empty hand.

“‘Hold there, fellows!’ called a man from the road, cheerfully. There were two others with him, tall, half-shaven, ragged, angular-looking fellows. All seemed dangerous, all were armed.
The hand of Marcus went to the hilt of his weapon.
‘Hold,’ I whispered to him. I lifted my hand to the men on the road. ‘Tal,’ I called to them.”
-- Vagabonds of Gor, p.73.

Still once again, Tarl is trying to be the friendly one, stopping Marcus from drawing his sword, and presenting an empty hand in friendship. He is trying not to seem like a threat to the strangers approaching.

Now, Norman does not specifically state in the books that this is the reason for the wave/salute, but it certainly seems logical based on the implications of these quotes, simple logic, and the historical precedence for such waves/salutes. It is certainly an area that must be considered when discussing Gorean greetings, for it must bear some type of significance.

Now, if the significance is as such, would this wave/salute then be appropriate for a slave? Absolutely not. A slave generally cannot wield weapons and must treat all free in a friendly fashion. For a slave to make the salute would be seen as an insult, as if the slave might be able to wield a weapon against a free or could treat the free as an enemy. It would go against the very concept of a Gorean slave. Thus, it seems logical that this wave/salute would be limited to the use of the free. Slaves would be prohibited from its use. Thus, it is using this wave/salute in greeting which would be considered “greeting as a free.”

So, when we look at the passage from Captive of Gor in this light, the “greeting as a free” could indicate that Ute used the salute/wave and thus would not refer to her use of the word Tal. Though the passage does not state she waved, it is supported by the fact that the second slave is noted as “waving” to Ute, likely in response to Ute’s original wave. If this is so, then slaves can use the word Tal in greeting, just not the wave/salute. This then eliminates all of the exceptions that Makaku cited. Tal thus just becomes a common word of greeting, usable by any.

Thus, this would further alter Makaku’s Rule 1 of Gorean Keigo to: TAL IS A GENERIC GREETING USED BY FREE PERSONS OR SLAVES OF EITHER GENDER TO GREET OTHER FREE PERSONS OR SLAVES. Such a change would also require the elimination of Rules 5 and 6 as well, as both Tal and “Greetings” would be applicable under those circumstances.

Makaku’s Rule 2 of Gorean Keigo is: TAL IS A FORMAL GREETING USED BY MEMBERS OF THE CASTE OF WARRIORS WHEN GREETING EACH OTHER.

Is this rule even necessary if Rule 1 were true? No, because Warriors under Rule 1 would still use Tal to greet each other as they would be of equal status. This rule would thus be duplicative and unnecessary. And if so many other Castes can use Tal then why is there a need for a special rule for Warriors? You could just as easily say that Tal is a formal greeting for members of the Caste of Poets, or any Caste, when addressing each other.

In addition, for Warriors, the use of Tal would not always be applicable, as “Hail” should take precedence over such when dealing with someone such as a Ubar or a highly skilled swordsman. Finally, Makaku states there are seven references that support this rule, which is also the number of exceptions to the Tal rule. And if Makaku contends that those seven exceptions are too few to consider, then should not the same number of references supporting Rule 2 be too few as well?

Makaku’s Rule 3 of Gorean Keigo is: “GREETINGS” IS USED BY FREE PERSONS OF SUPERIOR STATUS WHEN ADDRESSING FREE PERSONS OF INFERIOR RANK OR STATUS.

Makaku’s Rule 4 of Gorean Keigo is: “GREETINGS” IS USED BY FREE PERSONS OF INFERIOR STATUS WHEN ADDRESSING FREE PERSONS OF SUPERIOR RANK OR STATUS.

Again, we have some difficulty in deciding what is meant by “superior rank or status.” If we assume this refers to Caste rankings, then Makaku’s supports under Rule 1 must fall apart, as several passages clearly show the use of Tal by superiors when addressing inferiors and inferiors in addressing superiors. So, these two rules apparently contradict the evidence under Rule 1. Though “Greetings” may sometimes be used in support of Rules 3 & 4, there are plenty of times when Tal is used in the very same circumstances. The multiple passages I referenced earlier prove that. Makaku offers no reasons why this is so, why Tal is used in circumstances where Rules 3 and 4 dictate that “Greetings” should be used. We can also look further, analyzing some of the quotes used to support Rules 3 and 4 to assess their applicability.

Makaku states that in Priest-Kings of Gor, we see the term “Greetings” used on pgs.155, 169, 230, 287 and 311, all confirming Rules 3 and/or 4. But, if we examine a couple of those references more closely we may reach a different conclusion. On p.155, the “Greetings” are exchanged by slaves, not free persons. They are Muls, slaves of the Priest-Kings, and they should thus be of equal status. So, in two ways, a greeting by slaves and a greeting by equals, this passage does not support Rules 3 or 4. On p.230, Al-Ka, a former Mul who no longer considers himself a Mul, uses “Greetings” toward Tarl. This appears to thus be a greeting between equals, of two free people, and thus not supportive of either Rule 3 or 4.

In Tribesmen of Gor, p.225, Tarl exchanges “Greetings” with Ibn Saran. But, at that point, Tarl is a slave on his way to the salt mines of Klima. So, this passage does not support Rules 3 and 4 as Tarl is not free.

In Tribesmen of Gor, p.305, Haroun and Sulieman exchange “Greetings” with each other. But each is a high pasha of one of the main tribes of the Tahari, the Kavar and Aretai. They are clearly equals so this passage would not support Rules 3 and 4.

In Beasts of Gor, p.123, Tarl greets a free woman with “Greetings” though on pg.112 he had previously greeted her with Tal. There is no apparent reason for this change.

Makaku’s Rule 8 of Gorean Keigo is: “GREETINGS” IS A GREETING USED BY CAPTORS, WHEN ADDRESSING THEIR PRISONERS.

Makaku’s Rule 9 of Gorean Keigo is: “GREETINGS” IS A GREETING USED BY PRISONERS, WHEN ADDRESSING THEIR CAPTORS.

Makaku provides only four references in support of Rule 8 and only a single book reference in support of Rule 9. And that single reference is used to support Rule 8 as well. So, let us first deal with that reference.

That reference, Beasts of Gor, p.380, is contradicted on the very next page of that book. First, Tarl and Imnak, captive and captor, exchange “Greetings” but they then exchange Tal as well on the next page. So, its value as support for these rules is certainly very shaky. The other Beasts of Gor, p.353, reference is simply Imnak saying “Greetings” to Tarl, who is a captive. But the same contradiction would come into play there as well.

Then, in Captive of Gor, p.221, a slave says “Greetings” to a captive Panther Girl. A slave is still not of higher status than a free prisoner. And the slave is not the captor either, so Rule 8 would not be applicable.

In Guardsman of Gor, p.137, Jason Marshall says “Greetings” to Ragnar Voskjard, a pirate. But, at that moment, Ragnar is still free and is not a prisoner. Only after a brief physical altercation does Ragnar become his prisoner. So the timing is off, and thus this passage does not support Rule 8 either.

And as I stated earlier, the passage in Tribesmen of Gor, p.119, violates both Rules 8 and 9. Tarl, a prisoner of Ibn Saran, and Ibn Saran exchange Tal and not “Greetings” with each other. Thus, I fail to see any support for Rules 8 and 9.

Makaku’s Rule 11 of Gorean Keigo is: “GREETINGS” IS A GREETING USED BY FAMILY MEMBERS, WHEN ADDRESSING EACH OTHER.

Makaku presents only a single quote to support this rule but also curiously enough indicates that this quote is “really outside of Gorean Keigo completely.” If that is so, if it is outside of Gorean Keigo, then why is it being used to justify a Gorean Keigo rule? That would seem to be contradictory and this rule should be eliminated.

I do not see a need to specifically address all of the other Rules of Gorean Keigo that Makaku presented or to touch on every single book passage he mentions. It would only serve to greatly lengthen this essay and much of it would be duplicative of my previous arguments. In addition, it is the first few Rules that are the most important and thus deserve the most attention. All of the Rules also rely upon Makaku’s initial two premises which I have addressed, thus attacking the foundation upon which all of the Rules are based. So, in a significant way, I have actually addressed all of the eleven Rules.

Makaku’s failure to address the use of the term “Hail” and the wave/salute when greeting have negatively impacted his conclusions. The inclusion of these two elements into the topic seems to better answer Makaku’s speculations concerning greetings as well as eliminate many of the exceptions that Makaku cited. These elements make a more logical fit with all of the known facts and lead to a more consistent view of the books.

In addition, numerous passages that Makaku used to support his rules either failed to properly support the Rules or actually even contradicted those very rules. For example, I examined over twenty passages that Makaku used for support of Rule 1 that did not provide actual support or contradicted Rule 1. Plus, the number of examples used to support some of the rules was very low, less than the number of exceptions to the Tal rules. As Makaku felt the number of exceptions was insignificant, then it becomes difficult to support his own Rules using less passages than the number of exceptions.

On a positive note, the inclusion of “Hail” and the wave/salute, even if defeating Makaku’s premises and conclusions, does provide some support for a very simple system of Gorean Keigo. The existence of the term “Hail,” which is generally restricted to certain individuals of high position/ranking, shows that there is at least one term that supports the idea of Gorean Keigo. And if one exists, others might as well, though the books may not yet make reference to such words. Even the wave/salute, prohibited to slaves, could be considered part of a simple Gorean Keigo.

But, I do not believe that Tal and “Greetings” in of themselves support Gorean Keigo, and in fact may likely be the same term, one in Gorean, one in English. Based on the numerous examples of their use, it appears that those two terms are often used interchangeably and even slaves may freely use both terms. Neither term appears to be restricted to any particular situation. It is only the wave/salute that sometimes accompanies the greeting that is prohibited for slaves. Thus, the evidence of the books may support a very simple Gorean Keigo, but certainly does not support the complexity of Makaku’s eleven Rules.

I wish you well,
Luther